Article November 30, 1974 Issue

Why Do We Pray?

NEIL H. BOWLES

Prayer is of primary importance to us all. In the first paragraph of the first chapter of the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy writes: "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love. Regardless of what another may say or think on this subject, I speak from experience. Prayer, watching, and working, combined with self-immolation, are God's gracious means for accomplishing whatever has been successfully done for the Christianization and health of mankind."^{Science and Health, p. 1;}

Prayer, as Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, has taught and employed it, is devout, meaningful, logical, and purposeful. Anyone can understand its purpose and requirements and successfully employ it. Mrs. Eddy expected every student of Christian Science to know how to pray for any situation or condition that could confront him.

The serious Christian Scientist is a devout student of the Bible and of Mrs. Eddy's writings, and through his study the student's views of life are changed from a material to a spiritual basis. Some may believe, however, that just studying Mrs. Eddy's writings and the weekly Bible Lesson in the Christian Science Quarterly is praying. In a certain sense it may be, for it spiritualizes human thought, but study is not of itself the praying one needs to engage in daily for himself. Indispensable as such reading or studying is, it does not take the place of thorough systematic prayer as Mrs. Eddy has taught it.

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